GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Shocking charges were levied Friday against a New York City teacher.

She’s been arrested for allegedly having sex with an underage student at a Long Island motel.

She faced a judge Friday afternoon, reports CBS 2’s John Slattery.

Arrested and charged with both rape and performing a criminal sexual act is 33-year-old Tara Driscoll of Bay Shore. She was a high school English teacher at Campus Magnet Educational Complex in Queens until last May when an investigation started. Administrators reassigned her away from the classroom.

The District Attorney’s Office said she had sex with a student under the age of 17, who is not being identified.

According to the complaint, the incident happened on March 11 when Driscoll took the student to the Capri Motel in Lynbrook to engage in sexual relations. The prosecutor indicated they have photo and video evidence, suggesting a pornographic video was being shot.

“If it’s true it’s a horrible thing, but I dont really know the people so I dont want to judge,” said neighbor Donna Gamble.

Driscoll’s attorney, Virginia Lopreto, and her mother both declined comment as they left the courthouse.

If the allegations are true, would your reaction be different if the student was male rather than female? Sound off in our comments section below.

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I speculate that with the Women’s’ empowerment movement and the third wave of feminism women now have a greater sense of the pressures that comes with the added responsibilities that come with equal rights.
It is said that with freedom comes responsibility.
It appears that in the past you would never hear of this happening.
I believe it was not as common as today. Something to be said for a time when
the traditional family was prevalent. We all had a greater sense of self back then. Oh how the times have changed.

Maybe it’s just me, but the more times I read about a female teacher having sex with one of her male students, it just makes me wonder. When i was a young student going to HS, I had fantasies about at least a few of my female teachers (most of which I might add looked like they weren’t much older than I was). It just makes me curious as to what extent this is consensual with both parties. In the case of a male teacher and female student, it’s more than likely it was the overpowering male that took over.

Here is something interesting as well. She did commit statutory rape by definition of New York State Law. However, It is also possible in some cases that a 16 year old student could rape his teacher either by force or by drugging. I’m not suggesting it happened here but it’s more likely to happen that a female student raping a male teacher by force or by drugging him.

The criminal justice system can not have it both ways in terms of charges. The same kid could go out kill someone get charged as an adult so his brain has the capacity to make an adult decision but he cant make an adult decision when it comes to a hot teacher. The teacher def broke ethical standards but rape prob was not committed as it has to be unwilling and looking at her doubt that it was

Why does everyone care so much? It’s just a sad case overall. She obviously has some issues. I hope she gets help. The Facebook comment is funny though. How many of your FB friends are real?? People need lives.

Wish instead of couching in terms like “having sex” it would be called RAPE. It makes it seem so much less a crime. It’s wrong, cruel, ugly and a FELONY. Adults of either sex who take advantage of ANYONE under the age of consent is guilty of RAPE and should be sentenced accordingly. The horrific part of the story is that this is a teacher.